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With his group of friends and allies expanding further and further, Dyrus and his grandfather prepare for their journey East through the Southern coastline.

Upon their brand new, ultra-fast boat, seized from the recently-captured Alfred, Rene's friends, family, and comrades leave the recently-captured Holmstead, as well as the impending second attempt at advancement into Noba, in the capable hands of the Coastal region's forces, hurrying along to the archipelago's northernmost island for a Directors' meeting with the Emperor.

Samson, in the small town of Alder, sighs, feeling crowded in the inn his father is practically bleeding gold to keep his and Millicent's family put up in until he can find a better bit of housing. He pets his cat, Tiltyu, idly, preemptively sore for yet another day of being trained for fighting he's certain he's not really built for. This prospective point in time takes place before word has reached his current location of Holmstead's fall, but he will learn of it here.

>A. Be Dyrus
>B. Be Rene
>C. Be Samson

>>46487347
>C. Be Samson
Dyrus and Rene got the last two threads, I believe.

>>46487465
What matters more than an explicit pattern to me is that all three of them have had one of every three threads.

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>>46487465
You are now Samson, about... a day or so after Dyrus fled from Holmstead. Tiltyu is purring and nuzzling you, and as you lie down awhile, you come to the realization that you haven't been dragged out of bed yet. It's not a day off of training, to your knowledge... Curious, you get up and show yourself out of the building, wishing you had some apples right around now.

Locating your father outside, you ask him of your mother's whereabouts.

"She was... frustrated at a revelation that reached Alder earlier this morning," he answers, rubbing his arm slightly. "Insisted that Norman fellow take her hunting 'so she can kill something' when she heard the news."

"News, what?" You ask. Come to think of it, the village has had a bit of a... Somber air to it, since you woke up.

"Slept through it, did you?" He asks, frowning and leaning down to pet Tiltyu awhile, picking her up before resuming what he was saying. "A Holmstead soldier blew into town this morning, and... In short, Holmstead was successfully taken, and the king of Noba was slaughtered by the vicious Hera of Coastal Gerxel."

>A. At least you're safe here
>B. React with horror
>C. You'd honestly thought as much would happen...
>D. Alright, fighting's done, let's go back
>E. Write-in response

>>46487780
>That's a bummer, he seemed nice.
>A. At least you're safe here
>Have you heard anything about Raliegh?

>>46487780
>That's a bummer, he seemed nice.
>A. At least you're safe here
>Have you heard anything about Raliegh?

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>>46487900
>>46488049
"He seemed like a good man..." You sadly reflect, "even if he ruined mom's arm as a teenager."

"The story gets even more... Interesting," Lazare says with a frown, "because, you see, apparently one of his three fatal wounds was administered by the very same 'little sister' who he spoke to your mother of being separated from."

"His sister killed him?!" That takes you aback, slightly. "I mean, even if they hadn't seen each other in awhile..."

"They weren't actually related at all, or even associated before or after the orphanage," your father clarifies. "She simply had the misfortune of being taken in by Director Waldrick, who proceeded to lead this invasion."

"Still... That's awful. Thank the gods we're still safe here..." You change the subject to something semi-related. "Do these soldiers know if Raleigh is well?"

"I... Did not ask," father answers. "I believe that they're currently near the town hall, if you wished to find out."

Bracing yourself for the worst, you frown, stroking the beard that's begun to grow in quite impressively since you started to "rough it" on the way to Alder (you were going to shave it all back off once you found civilization, but an offhand compliment from Millicent abut how well it had come in immediately changed your mind). "I... think I will."

The town hall of the still-quite-sober Alder is about as not-busy as anywhere else, and outside of it, you spy Millicent, speaking to some Holmstead soldier you feel like you half-recognize, though you never really interacted with any guards, so it's not like you would know his name or anything.

Millicent looks quite distraught, which is... Not a good sign, if it's something she had to be personally informed of.

Shit, now they've seen you approaching. How do you approach this situation?

>A. Hey guys what's up
>B. Is Raleigh dead?
>C. You heard there was bad news?
>D. Write-in response
>E. Leave wordlessly

>>46488248
>C. You heard there was bad news?
Better than asking outright and potentially upsetting Millicent further if it's what she was just informed of.

>>46488248
>C. You heard there was bad news?
Let's not be too blunt.

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>>46488309
>>46488316
Realizing that this moment requires a sensitive touch, you say to the soldier, "I had... heard that there was bad news, and my father said you would be around here, so..."

"Is this Samson?" The soldier asks Millie, to which she nods. "Right, then... Raleigh had something to tell you as well..." He reaches into his armor for several moments, grumbling to himself. "I know I wrote it down somewhere, so... Ah, here!" before producing a handwritten note. "Raleigh told me to tell you something, so I jotted it down as soon as I had a breather." Clearing his throat, he reads aloud, "'tell Samson to complete my work... And..." He squints, straightening out the paper a bit to look at a smudged word, "achieve greater heights than I ever did. Give Elfire to his mother or have him do it..." He shakes his head, "no, wait, that one's just a reminder, not a message... I already handed that off to Lady Marion."

"Elfire... Why would he pass his tome along to us?" You ask.

"I-isn't it obvious?!" Millie says, finally speaking up. "They got him!"

>character limit, continued next post

>>46488638
This time, you actually double back a bit at the answer. It didn't occur to you that he might ACTUALLY die out there, even if you knew it was within the realm of possibility. "R-Raleigh's dead?"

"Possibly worse, I'm afraid, but in that case not far off," the soldier answers. "He nearly burned Director Waldrick's elder daughter to death for killing the first Holmstead guard to fall, was apprehended by the Director himself outside of the city... Right in the middle of this massive speech Waldrick gave about how he would inflict an awful, drawn-out, torturous death upon him in retaliation, he struck him with the tome, tossed it to me with those instructions, and demanded that me and my comrade escape before blocking his knights from chasing us. I suppose he figured he couldn't take any more down."

"W-wait... You're guards, and you just let him do that?!" Millie says, now sounding outright irate. "It's your job to protect civilians, not the other way around!"

"Riley and I, we were both badly wounded, and the three of us were trying to flee as it was..."

>A. You get what he means
>B. Condemn his actions
>C. Be silent
>D. Write-in response

>>46488660
>D. Write-in response
Overwhelmed with emotions?
We're a bard! Play a bittersweet melody!

>>46488660
>A. You get what he means
>D. Getting Raleigh, of all people, to flee while you held them off would've been an uphill battle to begin with, and wounded, while facing a group of knights and a Director...I doubt anyone could've budged him from the path he chose.
>E. Play a bittersweet melody

>>46488713
>>46488803
"Millicent... It must've been an uphill battle at all to get him to try retreating in the first place."

"Yeah, but he was doing it! And this guy just... let him be tortured!" Millie argues back.

"Think about it, though... Do you honestly believe that there was any hope of convincing Raleigh to run, especially when others were wounded and facing an impossible threat? There's no way in hell anyone would've convinced him to go down fighting, and we're here because we certainly didn't want to die with him."

"I..." She sighs, breaking out of her anger into burying her face in her hands and probably weeping. "Gods, I just didn't want him to die..."

The mood, you think, calls for something... Bittersweet. Calling upon your musical prowess, you sing an invigorating yet sad piece, sounding something like this, but with words.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVKC3RNt4I4

The soldier looks at you. "Erm... The hell are you doing?"

"I... Thought that the somber moment warranted a song," you stammer out.

"It doesn't. You're making an ass of yourself," he responds.

>A. Fine, you'll stop
>B. Ask if he feels at all invigorated
>C. Sing louder out of spite
>D. Write-in response
>E. ...you're leaving now

>>46489068
Vote time renewed.

>>46489068
>A. Fine, you'll stop
>B. Ask if he feels at all invigorated

>>46489387
"You just had to ask me to stop," you grumble, before looking between the two of them. "Tell me, did that invigorate the two of you at all?"

"Now that you mention it..." The soldier starts, "I do feel a bit more spry, even with my wounds slowing my step..."

Millie takes a deep breath, no longer crying, but still looking far from happy. "That helped me a lot, too... I'm exhausted with this, though."

"Same here," you say. "Should we have breakfast or something? Grieving on an empty stomach like this will get us killed."

Millie nods. "Alright, yeah, let's go... I think the inn is still serving it for a little while."

The soldier stands there quite awkwardly. "I like breakfast..."

"And I like singing to perk people up," you coldly reply.

"H-hey, I just thought you were being weird and singing for no reason. I don't know anything about your... Performing arts magics!" He groans. "Sorry, alright? I've... Had as hectic a few days as possible."

>A. Why would you invite him along. You don't even know him!
>B. Of course he backpedals now
>C. Three's a crowd
>D. Leave without a word
>E. Write-in response

>>46489698
>A. Why would you invite him along? You don't even know him!

>>46489698
>A. Why would you invite him along. You don't even know him!

>>46489813
>>46490039
"Who the hell are you?" You ask in a tone saying more than anything 'I don't know who you are, and have no reason to oblige your desire to mooch off of us.'

"I'm, uh... Jack..." He answers. Not ringing a bell or anything. "Wounded Holmstead soldier, forced to take refuge? Have a bit of sympathy..."

"'m going to feel awful if I don't," Millie says. "Let's let him come along."

Ugh, you can't say no to Millicent.

"You have my gratitude, Millicent," he says with a bit of a smile. "Just a quick breakfast, and then I'll need to be off. I'm going to head back South now that Raleigh's message is delivered..."

"Wait, you're going back to Holmstead? Why?" Millie asks, somewhat accusatory. "After Raleigh's sacrifice..."

"Oh, no, I'm not going back INTO Holmstead. Close, though." Jack says, waving his hands. "Riley and I've signed up along Noba's Southern border, and I told her I wouldn't be long delivering the message..." Nudging you in a bit of an unwarranted attempt to play nice now that you've been pressured into buying him breakfast, he says quietly, "one doesn't want to keep a woman like that waiting, you know?"

Right, so he either fancies this Riley, is an item with her, or is afraid of her, and whichever thing he means he... You think he's expecting you to relate about Millie?

>A. Ahaha yeah
>B. You don't get it
>C. Let's just get this over with...
>D. Write-in response
>E. You changed your mind he can piss off
(fucking christ, recaptcha put me through a gauntlet there)

>>46490141
>A. Ahaha yeah
Let's at least try to not make the situation any more awkward.

>>46490141
>A. Ahaha yeah

>>46490224
>>46490327
You give a light, somewhat genuine laugh, choosing to go with the most flattering of opinions and shooting Millie a flirtarious smile. "Yeah, I think I understand..."

You swear that, despite her current VERY down demeanor, that gesture brightens her up a bit.

"I see..." Jack says, perhaps jumping to conclusions, though his next course of action benefits you anyway. "Anyway, I won't harass you two too long. Didn't realize I was intruding on something..."

"I-intruding?" Millicent asks. "Not at all. We're happy to do a favor for someone Raleigh saved."

"Right... Still, though, I owe you both for your time. If you ever find yourselves needing something when you're by the Holmstead border, I'll see what I can do."

"Lot of repayment for a mediocre inn breakfast," you respond. "Seriously, the food isn't nearly as nice as even some of the lower-brow places back home."

"Don't need to tell me that," Jack says, finally picking up a pleasant conversation. "The things they serve in the border's canteen... Lemme tell you something about that."

Your late breakfast with this guy is actually quite pleasant, and Millicent actually seems to get into the conversation when it veers into his significant other's (you confirm that Riley is his fiancee) interest in performing arts ("Can't get into the stuff myself, if you noticed, but she adores watching others' song and dance..."), leaving you sidelined for much of the conversation. But you suppose you're used to that, even if it reminds you of your meetings with Raleigh.

Gods, if he's being tortured like that... Maybe he's still alive? No, no sense getting your hopes up like that. Even if he were currently, you're certain Waldrick would get bored of him long before any sort of rescue could be mounted.

After finishing, Jack thanks you two before exiting, leaving you and Millicent sitting at your table.

>A. He seems [word]
>B. What are we?
>C. Talk about teaching her to refresh-dance
>D. Write-in response

>>46490629
>A. He seems okay
>C. Talk about teaching her to refresh-dance
Don't want to put her on the spot suddenly like that.

>>46490839
"You know," you say, "all in all, he seems pretty alright."

Millicent nods. "Glad we gave him more of a chance, at least. He and his fiancee must've been through so much these last few days."

"Also!" You say, suddenly.

"Hm?" Her eyes widen at your unintentional increase in volume.

"That, uh... Reminds me." You quiet down significantly, clearing your throat. "I... Can't promise I'll be able to get the exact details across conveying it between music and dance, but... Talking about performing arts like that reminded me that you wanted some pointers on how I do what I do?"

"Uh, yeah! I'd been hoping to talk to you about it, honestly, but you've been so exhausted lately..."

"Not built to work out," you say, before continuing, "but... my mother pretty much abruptly cancelled practice today to go vent by helping your brother kill animals. So if you weren't busy today, I could probably start..."

"You'd do that?" Smiling, she takes your hand without much thought. This entire conversation has brightened her up, even if sadness in her eyes over Raleigh's fate is still... Very much there. "That'd be wonderful!"

"Then it's settled. Now, see, to start, let me preface this with saying that there's an... Inherent magicalness to this sort of thing, that you'll need to be able to channel to use this properly..."

>A. Skip ahead somewhat
>B. Perhaps you should find someplace to train
>C. Write-in dialogue

>>46491074
>B. Perhaps you should find someplace to train

>>46491074
>B. Perhaps you should find someplace to train

>>46491124
>>46491134
"Er, if you're done, maybe we could find someplace open to work on this. Wherever you think's a suitable place to dance."

"Er... I've been practicing in a clearing a little bit from here," she answers, standing. "Come on, I'll show you the way."

"I should hope so," you respond, setting some of your own money on the table for the sake of your meals. "Can't go someplace I don't know how to find."

You're led to the small forest holding this clearing in question, which you quietly note is in pretty much the exact opposite direction from town of the woods where the Tyarm lurked.

You initially go over the basicmost of basics about magic, its applications outside of fighting with tomes, how to harness one's magical essence... Then you begin to digress a bit into the history of Teege's magic. "...it's said in legend that, before the Gerxel, the primary magic-users in the desert region were able to form pacts with spirits, but... No real documentation of this exists, and it's somewhat hard to believe that the Empire would be able to wipe out such legendarily-powerful mages in its early stages..."

"Uh... Huh. Where's the part where I apply all of this to dancing like you sing?" She shrugs her coat off and sets her sheathed sword down by it to express this impatience.

>A. Right, right, onto that
>B. She shouldn't rush you!
>C. Does she seriously practice out here alone?
>D. Write-in response

>>46491450
>A. Right, right, onto that

>>46491450
>A. Right, right, onto that

>>46491476
>>46491596
"Right, right, sorry... Anyway, it's actually very simple once you've figured out how to do it... Give it a few days, and you'll need to go out of your way NOT to."

"How does that work?" Millicent asks. "I mean, you'd think if it's tied to a particular move..."

"Well, that's actually pretty simple, Millie. You see..."

A bit more talking later, and she's ready to at least try, the two of you focusing on one another as your respective refreshing targets. This goes on for... Maybe an hour or so, with helpful advice in between each thing.

"Not even a little reinvigorated?" Millie asks.

"Least not in a way that's not... Entirely mechanical," you joke with a smirk.

"Shut up," she not-seriously says, laughing. "Your voice is starting to sound hoarse after singing on-and-off for over an hour, and here I am bouncing around just fine..."

"D-" you clear your throat, "don't be disheartened. I can feel... essence shifting, or whatever the exact phrase Professor Ingram used was. Gods it's been so long... You're learning really fast, in layman's terms."

"Huh... Well, when the second-closest thing to an expert on magic in town says something like that, it makes me feel like trying harder! Ready those pipes, I'll figure it out before the day is up!"

>A. Your poor voice
>B. Right now you need a break
>C. Another time
>D. Right away!
>E. Write-in response

>>46491652
>A. Your poor voice
>one more time before break

>>46491652
>>46491682
Second.

>>46491682
>>46491690
"My poor voice..." You grumble.

"What was that?" She asks, leaning in a bit. "You mumbled a bit..."

Clearing your throat again, you speak slightly clearer, "just one more try for now. I've never refresh-sang this many times in rapid succession..."

"Right, right... Be ready to wash that tiredness away!"

Well, she certainly... Has some moves. Probably the best you've seen out of her. Why, just watching her move around like that is... Holy shit, did she actually succeed? Just to make sure you're not imagining things, you sing a brief thing yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26bx4SxfULA

Yep, belting that out doesn't make your throat want to leap off a building anymore!

"...no, no, you said just one more try," Millicent says, not correctly understanding the point o your song just now. "Come on, we'll break for now..."

"No, no, Millicent... You've. You've mastered it so quickly!"

"W-wait, seriously?!" Her eyes actually outright light up now, their sadness temporarily extinguished. "Ahah, wow, that's... I didn't even notice anything different from the last fifty dozen attempts. You've got a gift for teaching, Sam!"

>A. We're probably just lucky
>B. Or she's got a gift
>C. Maybe she's right!
>D. Naaah
>E. Write-in response

>>46491956
>C. Maybe she's right!
>B. Or she's got a gift

>>46491956
>C. Maybe she's right!
>B. Or she's got a gift

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>>46491991
>>46492008
"You could have a point... 'Samson, Master of refreshments!'" You stroke your beard, amused at the sound. "You might just have a gift as well, though. Don't write that off... I mean, I'm sure you didn't master dancing in this little time."

"Heavens no! I've practiced dancing for years..."

"And you've always wanted to figure out how some dancers do this, but didn't have the magical aspect down... You've emulated every important aspect besides what sets it all off."

Aaand suddenly you're being hugged. "Thanks, Sam. This has... Really made me feel better."

Shit, uh, what do you do now? You, uh... You...

You hear your mother's voice ring out from several meters behind you. "So this is where you've been hiding all this time... Sneaking off and skipping practice?"

You quite literally yelp from shock at the moment her voice rings out, turning away and causing Millie to let go. "Er... Where've you..."

"I run out to hunt with her brother for a little while and you skip out on training..." And then she shoots Millicent an awkward smile, leaning to one side to look at her. "Er... Sorry about this. He knows how important it is that he know how to fight."

Millie just... Blinks, confusedly, embarrassedly.

>A. You are a grown man!
>B. Just be embarrassed
>C. How did she even get here?!
>D. She's the one who disappeared!
>E. You were just teaching her something!
>F. Write-in response

>>46492199
>B. Just be embarrassed
>D. She's the one who disappeared!

>>46492199
>B. Just be embarrassed
>D. She's the one who disappeared!

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>>46492230
>>46492269
"I... Oh, for the love of..." You bury your face in your hands. "You're the one who just up and left after we found out about King Augustus..."

"And you think losing our home is gonna make me want to train LESS?" Your mother asks. "I just knew that even with it all messed up, I should still test the limits of my sword hand... Maybe break out that Elfire tome that soldier gave me for some reason."

"Wait, you... don't know why you got that?" Millie asks your mother.

"I got it because I was handed it after hearing about Holmstead's fall. Figure some mage died or something and I was determined its best recipient."

"Well, you're right about that," Millicent says, now sounding angry again. "That was Raleigh's!"

"Raleigh, Raleigh..." Her eyes widen. "Shit, I had no idea. You two, uh... Take the rest of the day off. We're expecting some knights from August's Reach to show in a couple days, see if we can't do anything about reclaiming Holmstead."

"Wait, we're going to fight back so soon?!" Millie asks.

"Would you rather let Lazare waste all our gold sitting around at a shitty inn or go back home?"

"I, uh..."

"Exactly," your mother says, adding on one crass joke before turning around and leaving. "And save the grandkids for after we're done beating the shit out of Coastal goons."

When she's gone, you and Millie just... Exchange awkward glances for what feels like a full ten minutes.

"So." She says, rubbing the back of her head.

>A. So.
>B. Let's just head back
>C. Wanna practice now?
>D. Wordlessly lie on the ground in embarrassment
>E. Write-in response
>F. ...

>>46492486
>D. Wordlessly lie on the ground in embarrassment
It's really awkward, might as well just ride it out.

>>46492538
Without saying a word, you lie down, curl up, turned away from Millicent, and die.

Okay, not those last two words, but you feel like it. A grown man, making a decent life for yourself as a promising scholar, and this shit happens directly after you start to associate with your parents more.

"Er... You alright, Sam?" Millie asks, and you hear the sound of her walking, picking up her coat, behind you.

Another few moments of silence.

You hear the sound of a big coat being slipped onto a Millicent.

"Come on, now, Sam," she says, trying to keep sympathetic in her exasperation. "That was... Admittedly awful, but you can't just lie there forever..."

>A. Yes you can
>B. You know
>C. You don't want to fight the Empire
>D. ...
>E. Write-in response

>>46492732
>B. You know

>>46492732
>B. You know

>>46492740
>>46492799
"I know, don't remind me..."

"Er... I'm going to head back now. You alright getting back on your own?"

You nod a bit. "I remember the way..."

"Okay..." The sound of her footsteps from behind are audible.

"Wait," you say, and the steps stop. "We're... Never talking about this again, alright?"

"All of it or just the end there?"

"The parts starting from where there were more than two people here..."

"Right, got it. I gave you a hug and suddenly woke up outside the village with knowledge that Marion plans on helping liberate Holmstead again." With that, the footsteps resume until they fade out of your hearing range.

Gods, that's right... Your mom's going to go back there and fight, probably drag you and Norman and Millicent and your father into it. It sounds like a recipe for complete disaster, possibly even getting every last one of you killed.

>A. Well, better get packing. You really don't have much of a choice.
>B. Does Jack have the kind of pull at the border to prevent them from going back? You could call in that favor...
>C. Forget that! You're an adult who can make your own choices, and you're staying in Alder!
>D. Honestly, you sort of WANT to for some reason...
>E. You should run further North or something
>F. Write-in thoughts

>>46493065
>C. Forget that! You're an adult who can make your own choices, and you're staying in Alder!

>>46493065
>>C. Forget that! You're an adult who can make your own choices, and you're staying in Alder!

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>>46493097
>>46493154
Why the hell are you getting so distraught over this? You stand up, talking to yourself. "I can live on my own... So the hell what if my mother plans on fighting?!"

You hear rustling, grumbling, notice some sort of animal you don't recognize bolt past you and out of sight.

"Blast..." From the direction in which the beast appeared, Norman's voice is heard, and he steps out, lowering his bow. "You scared it off by shouting."

"Oh, uh, sorry... Wait, you've been here too?!"

"I was hunting with your mother and she started heading this way as soon as we got back to town."

"So you just got here, didn't hear any of that."

"Except for the part you shouted..." He tilts his head to one side, "wait, I just remembered..."

"Remembered what?"

"Your mother looked somber walking away from here. Then Millicent looked sad. Making a habit of upsetting girls now?"

>A. What?
>B. You seriously don't understand what he's implying
>C. Go away, Norman
>D. No!
>E. Did he hear about that 'going to fight in Holmstead' business?
>F. Write-in response

>>46493303
>D. No!

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>>46493321
"Wh-what? What kind of logic is... No, I'm not."

"Okay." He either believes you or was just trying to get a rise out of you to begin with. "Your mother said we're going back to Holmstead."

"She doesn't speak for all of us."

"But she said we were going back."

God, this guy is either REALLY dense or the biggest prick ever. "And I'm not."

"Okay."

"Are... You planning on going?" You ask, hoping to keep up a conversation.

"If Millie does. And your mother said we all are, bar maybe my parents."

"She doesn't have authority over you two," you say. "We can just... Not go. I'm sure even my dad will be willing to stay behind, and if none of us are going back, Millicent won't go back..."

"But she's gonna go no matter who doesn't," Norman says.

"Millie?" You ask.

"Your mom," he clarifies. "Was she always like this?"

>A. She was an alcoholic for awhile instead
>B. Apparently
>C. Not that you remember
>D. Write-in response

And as for the fact that your mother's spark for battle PROBABLY won't get put out again so long as she lives...

>E. Whatever. She's made her mistakes your problems too much lately
>F. You're sure you can convince her otherwise!
>G. She can't seriously go alone!
>H. Write-in response
>I. No comment

>>46493512
>B. Apparently
>C. Not that you remember
>F. You're sure you can convince her otherwise!
>G. She can't seriously go alone!

>>46493512
>A. She was an alcoholic for awhile instead
>F. You're sure you can convince her otherwise! Well, you can try.

>>46493512
>B. Apparently
>C. Not that you remember
>F. You're sure you can convince her otherwise!
>G. She can't seriously go alone!

>>46493562
>>46493571
>>46493655
"So I'm told, but... For most of my memory she was an apathetic drunk instead. She stopped fighting because her sword arm was messed up, and gods, she can't seriously plan on fighting this alone if no one'll help her!"

"She's expecting Noban knights to help her," Norman responds. "Told me all about it."

"Gods, she's going to seriously do this... We'll all be able to talk her out of it, right?"

"Like hell I'm backing outta this!" That night, you got your answer to 'can we pull her?' at that inn. Glaring at all of you, your mother slams down her mug after a long gulp. "If you damn... Cowards don't want anything to do with taking down the Empire, then you have no reason to sit around here... Pissing away your lives waiting for the bad men to go away!"

"Dear, we ran because we're not suited for a war..." Your father suggests.

"Like hell," your mother retorts. "I saw you take on the Tyarm bandits. Naturals, everyone but you, even if King Augustus killed most of 'em."

"Of course we're not natural fighters, dear. We're..."

"You're 'scholars,' I know." She glares. "Disgraceful..." Her eyes center on you in particular, the, er, mastermind of this 'attempt to talk this entire trip down' plan. "Are you really going to just waste away here while our homes sit empty in Gerxel territory?"

Shit, that look... Now you remember how she got you training in the first place. You're... Extremely intimidated right now.

"Come on, don't give up. Come back home and take the damn place back."

>A. Yes mother
>B. Fine
>C. You give up
>D. Write-in response

>>46493823
>B. Fine
I really don't want our mom to die offscreen...

>>46493823
Weird, the formatting fucked up what I was trying to do there. The >D. was going to be a couple spaces below the non-write-in options for symbolic "this is not easy for Samson to do, but isn't entirely impossible" reasons, but I guess it decided to just remove all those extra empty lines.

>>46493823
>B. Fine

>>46493947
Yeah, 4chan'll do that. It also edits out redundant spaces, IIRC.

>>46493823
>B. Fine

>>46493930
"You're going to get yourself killed out there," you say, "you know that, right?"

"War does that. I know the weight of a life."

You sigh, shaking your head. "I'm going to regret it, but I can't in good conscience just let you go alone..."

"You told me you weren't going," Norman very helpfully says from somewhere off to the side.

"Well, the plan changed," you say, before shooting your mother a very grave expression. "If a single one of us doesn't make it out of this alive, I'm never speaking to you again afterwards."

"Noted," she says.

Later, before you and your cat drift off to sleep (Millie's parents have arranged to take care of Tiltyu in your family's absence, so you've opted to spend as much time with your beloved cat as possible), your father comes into your room. "Son..." He says, sitting close by. "I... understand how difficult it must have been, being put on the spot like that. Marion has her ways..."

"Yeah, dad, I know all too well. Anyway, I'd like to sleep now. You should too, in case those knights mom was talking about arrive."

>character limit, continued next post

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>>46494251
And the next morning, arrive they do. A girl with heavy armor sniffs the cool morning breeze. "Ah, Alder, how I've missed you... It's going to pain me to leave again so soon."

With her, a VERY clean-looking mage looking in a personal mirror, puffing his cheeks with something and looking irate. "Urgh, Dinah, did we need to pass through the forest? I'm going to break out in hives for days now..."

"You ain't seen nothin' of ailment until you've been out on the sea for a spell too long, the Empire hot on yer' tail, Fabrice," a tan, VERY pirate-looking pirate, sans eyepatch, hook, or peg-leg, says, in its stead a VERY prominent blond cowlick from beneath his bandanna, accompanying the aforementioned two. You think you recognize him from that Alfred guy's crew. "Why, this one time..."

"Save the sea shanties for later, Adam," the armored woman says. "We're gonna be on the road awhile after this."

>To be continued next thread
Sorry for haphazardly introducing three new companions at the end there, but I was strapped for a proper conclusion.

Before you ask, you COULD HAVE write-inned to have Samson completely refuse to go, and it would've worked and affected the plot as such. The point of having none of the default choices be a refusal was to show how easily his mother intimidates him lately.

Thanks for playing, as always. Update twitter is qmgrandflocto, ask.fm/qmgrandflocto also exists, and I'll be around in-thread to chat for awhile.

>>46494297
Thanks for running.

I got that we could've, but I didn't want our mom to die (without it being an appropriately dramatic event, at least) or deliberately sideline Samson as far as plot relevance goes for even longer when we're relatively strapped for threads due to the tri-protagonist format, so I didn't make one.

>>46494297
Thanks for running

>>46494403
>>46494377
Always a pleasure.

And yeah, I figured you figured, but just thought it warranted spelling out anyway. Funny to imagine him just sort of fucking around doing nothing all story long and then meandering into endgame unaware, though.